Apparatus for removal of paint from bowling pins



May 22, 1956 s. P. DOMENICO APPARATUS FOR REMOVAL OF PAINT FROM BOWLING PINS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1953 g s 5 (u 9 L I 1.L ?L -r F-P c Q 1 m I N O 1 R I i I JL 1 l g E B Q IN V EN TOR.

Siepke/z HD0772 enzco A T'TORNE YS May 22, 1956 s. P. DOMENICO 2,746,069

APPARATUS FOR REMOVAL OF PAINTFROM BOWLING PINS Filed April 29, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

m BYSZ'GPIZGRBDOHZ BiliCO ATTORNEYS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR REMOVAL OF PAINT FROM BOWLING PINS Stephen P. Domenico, Canton, Ohio Application April 29, 1953, Serial No. 351,817

2 Claims. (Cl. 4)

The maintainance of bowling pins is a constant concern of bowling establishments and the costs incident to the maintainance of bowling pins in satisfactory and serviceable condition is a costly factor in the bowling alley business.

Bowling pins made in accordance with the regulatory standards established within the sport have an ascertainable life of service before either reconditioning or replacement becomes necessary.

Most bowling establishments maintain a schedule for the reconditioning of their pins based on periods of use measured either by the expiration of time or by the number of games or sets bowled.

In reconditioning bowling pins it is necessary to remove the paint and lacquer finish, and to smooth up the pin by removing dents, gouges and crush marks. The pins are then repainted and lacquered.

Heretofore, such reconditioning has been accomplished either by power sanding to remove the finish and smooth up the pin, or by manual paint removal with solvents followed by light sanding for surface finishing.

It has been found that power sanding operations are the quickest method of reconditioning, but such method has been found to be dangerous because of the highly inflammable characteristics of the paint and lacquer when subjected to the heat and friction of abrasion.

Further, it has been found that power sanding tends to remove too much of the pin material, and after two or three such reconditionings pins are no longer within the regulation requirements as to diameters and the like and must then be discarded.

The manual method of removing paint with solvents and manual brushing and scraping is a slow arduous task which is costly from a labor standpoint, and which also creates a hazard of fire by the ignition of such solvents as are normally used in these operations.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide apparatus for the removal of the paint and lacquer finishes from bowling pins which substantially eliminates the numerous problems presented and disadvantages encountered in reconditioning bowling pins by prior known methods.

A primary object of the present invention resides in apparatus for the removal of paints and lacquers from bowling pins which is substantially automatic, which is fast and efiicient, and which substantially reduces the hazards of fire and combustion.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of new and improved apparatus for the removal of paint, lacquer and the like from bowling pins which utilizes paint solvents for the removal of the paint whereby unnecessary reduction in pin diameters is avoided thus increasing the life of the pin by enabling several more reconditionings thereof than would otherwise be possible by certain prior known methods.

A further object of the present invention lies in the provision of new and improved apparatus for the removal of paint, lacquer, and the like from bowling pins for the purpose of reconditioning the pins which have, inherently, greatly increased safety factors over prior methods and apparatus.

Another object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for paint and lacquer removal from bowling pins and like objects which is substantially automatic thereby permitting the rapid and inexpensive operation thereof at a substantial savings in the costs incident to time and labor over prior apparatus.

Still another and important object of the present invention resides in the provision of apparatus for the removal of paint and lacquer from bowling pins wherein the cost of performance is retained at a minimum, nominal figure, and where the apparatus involved is of substantially simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

These and other objects and advantages apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims may be obtained, the stated results achieved, and the described difiiculties and problems overcome, by the devices, constructions, arrangements, combinations, subcombinations, parts, elements, discoveries and principles which comprise the present invention, the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of which-illustrative of .the best modes in which applicant has contemplated applying the principlesare set forth in the following description and shown in the drawings, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and defined in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the apparatus constituting the present invention may be stated in general terms as preferably including a stand supporting a tank containing a paint solvent bath, spaced carriage elements mounted above said tank in laterally spaced relationship relative thereto and for revolution about a common axis into and out of said tank and the bath therein, one of said carriage elements consisting of an enclosed sealed housing, means on said carriage elements disposed in opposed relationship for rotatably supporting bowling pins therebetween whereby said pins will move into and out of said bath with said carriage elements, abrading means in said tank within said bath positioned to contact the entire longitudinal surfaces of bowling pins moving therethrough' with said carriage elements, drive means within the em closed housing of said last named carriage element operatively connected to the pin supporting means therein to rotate the same and to rotate said pin in its supported position between said carriage elements, cooperative lock means between one of said rotating carriage elements and stand whereby said elements may be selectively locked in a fixed position relative to said tank and bath, a shielded electric drive motor mounted on said stand remote to said tank, and means forming a drive connection between said sealed motor and the drive means within said enclosed carriage element, and means carried by said tank above said bath for wiping engagement with said rotating bowling pins as they move out of said bath.

By way of example, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part hereof wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus constituting a part of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 44, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 55, Fig. 4.

Similar numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures of the drawings.

Apparatus Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the apparatus, constituting the present invention, is generally illustrated at and preferably includes a framework stand 11 formed by four corner posts or leg members 12 interconnected by brace members 13 in the region of their lower ends and surrounded by a flanged trim member 14 at their upper extremities.

An open topped tank 15 is suspended within the framework of the stand downwardly from the trim member 15 and is adapted to contain a bath of paint solvent therein to a predetermined depth.

A shaft 16, journaled in bearing members 17 supported in laterally opposed positions on the trim member 14, is rotatably disposed laterally across the open top of the tank centrally thereof and extending at one end for a spaced distance therebeyond as at 18. A pair of carriage elements 19 and 20 are mounted on their central axes, by means of bushings, on the shaft 16 for free rotation thereon in laterally spaced apart relationship within the confines of the side walls of the tank 15.

The carriage elements 19 and 20 are of identical square configuration and are mounted in lateral coincidence on the shaft 16 and are rigidly fixed in said positions by tie bars 21 extending therebetween and secured thereto.

In addition to the tie bars, the carriage elements carry in oppositely disposed alignment therebetween bowling pin support members generally designated at 22 on carriage element 19 and at 23 on carriage element 219 which permit the horizontal suspension of bowling pins 24 on their longitudinal axis between these support members and between the carriage elements 19 and 20 for rotation therewith about the shaft 16 into and out of tank 15.

A catch dog 25 is afiixed to the outwardly disposed face of the carriage element 19 in a position to engage with a catch bolt 26 of a spring bolt type carried on the flanged trim member 14, whereby the carriage elements 19 and 20 may be locked as a unit against their free rotation on shaft 16, and they may be selectively released to permit their rotation through 360 whereupon said catch dog and bolt will again reach a point of interlocking engagement.

This foregoing rotation of the carriage elements 19 and 20 through 360 about the shaft 16 will cause bowling pins 24 suspended in spaced apart relationship between these elements to pass into and out of the tank 15 and into and out of the paint solvent bath therein for purposes to be hereinafter described.

Additionally, the carriage element 20 takes the form of a sealed housing enclosing a drive arrangement for imparting rotation to the bowling pin support means 23 carried thereby for imparting rotation to said bowling pins about their longitudinal axis while in their suspended position between the carriage elements 19 and 20.

The bowling pin support means 23 take the form of support pins 27 which are rotatably seated and anchored in bearing members 28 within the housing to extend outwardly from the housing through sealed bushings 29 for a spaced distance toward the carriage element 19 and in alignment with the bowling pin support members 22 carried thereby.

The support pins 27 are provided with sprockets 3D keyed thereon within the housing, and the sprockets of all the support pins 27 projecting from the carriage element 20 are interconnected in drive engagement by a drive chain 31 which extends continuously about the outer peripheries of these support pin sprockets in order that rotation of one sprocket will cause driven rotation of all said sprockets.

In addition, one of said support pin members 27 is provided with an additional chain sprocket 32 which is interconnected by a drive chain 33 with a chain sprocket 34 keyed on that portion of the shaft 16 which extends through said enclosed housing and which is sealed at its points of entry by sealing bushings 35. Hence, rotation of shaft 16 will cause driving movement of the chain 31 and thus rotation of the pin support members 27.

The extended portion 18 of the shaft 16, which overhangs the stand and tank, is provided with an enlarged sprocket wheel 36 keyed thereto and having drive chain connection, through the medium of a chain 37, with the drive shaft 38 of a shielded electric motor 39, which in turn is supported on the cross brace members 13 at the lower end of the stand. The shielded motor 39 is grounded as at 40 through one leg of the stand to reduce the accumulation of static therein.

The bowling pin support members 22 carried by the carriage element 19 include shoulder bolt members 41 fixedly secured in said carriage element to extend in opposed alignment therefrom toward the corresponding support pins 27 located on the carriage element 20.

The shoulder bolts are provided at their innermost ends with a cup-shaped pin engagement member 42 which is secured to the end of the bolt by nut means 43. A coil spring 44 surrounds that portion of each shoulder bolt 41 extending between the inner face of the carriage element 19 and the cup-shaped support members 42 whereby the shoulder bolts and cup support members may be retracted toward the carriage element 19 against the resilient tension of the springs 44, and whereby they will return to their extended position under the tension of the spring when released.

The extended end of the shoulder bolts 41, beyond the nut means 43 and within the confined area of the cup support means 42, are provided with a dished radial end designed to serve as bearing surfaces for the rounded, headed ends of bowling pins 24 when the headed ends thereof are positioned against the shoulder bolts and loosely confined within the cup-shaped support members 42 as shown in Fig. 4.

Located within the tank is an open top box-like member 45 which is secured centrally in the bottom of the tank to extend laterally thereof. This member 45 is adapted to receive the backing member 45:: of a brush 45b having bristles 47 of nylon, glass fiber or the like, and said brush backing member 45a is secured in said box element 45 by means of a plurality of set screws 46.

The bristles 47 of the brush member are designed longitudinally of the brush to assume the same general configuration as that of the longitudinal surface of a standard bowling pin, whereby the entire longitudinal surface of a bowling pin will be contacted by said brush when the bowling pin is moved to the lowermost position in the tank with rotation of the carriage elements 19 and 20. This positioning is best illustrated in Fig. 4.

In addition to the brush means, a rubber wiper element 49 is adjustably fixed at what would normally be the back end of the trim member 14 of the stand, said wiping element including a U-shaped plate 48 adjustably fixed on the trim member 14 and in which is secured in extended position therefrom a wiper or squeegee member 49 having a wiping edge configuration corresponding to the contour of a bowling pin 24, whereby the squeegee member or wiper will contact the bowling pin in its movement upwardly from the aforedescribed lowermost position in the tank to wipe therefrom paint, solvent and the like which the bowling pin has accumulated while in the bath.

Operation In operation of the apparatus described, acetone or a like paint solvent solution is poured into the tank 15 to bring the liquid level thereof to a point sufficient to cover the upper ends of the bristle members 47 of the brush 45b, as generally indicated by the dotted line 50 in Fig. 4.

A plurality of bowling pins, preferably four in number in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated and described herein, are placed in rotatably suspended positions between the four pairs of complementary bowling pin support elements 22 and 23 carried by the carriage elements 19 and 20 respectively. To aflix the bowling pins in the suspended position, the cap support members 42 and the shoulder bolts 41 of the support members 22 are retracted against the tension of the coil springs 44, the usual base openings in the bowling pins being inserted over the extended ends of the support pins 27 on carriage element 20, and the headed ends of the bowling pins are positioned in alignment with the cap support members 42, whereupon the cap support members and shoulder bolts 41 are released to bring the radial ends 43 of the shoulder bolts into a bearing surface support engagement against the heads of the pins and to loosely confine the heads of the pins within cap support members 42.

When the bowling pins have been secured in their suspended positions, operation of the shielded motor 39 will cause rotation of the support pins 27 through the housed drive mechanism and rotation of the bowling pins about their longitudinal axes in their suspended positions between the carriage elements 19 and 20.

The rotation of shaft 16, upon operation of the motor 39, will impart slight rotative torque to the carriage elements 19 and 29 tending to move them with said shaft to successively bring the bowling pins 24 into abrading contact with the brush 451) within the confines of the solvent bath. Rotation of the carriage elements may be implemented by manual means.

With rotation of the pins about their longitudinal axes in contact with the brush and within the confines of the pins will be readily loosened and removed, and further solvent bath, the usual lacquer and paint finishes of the rotation of the carriage element 19 and 20 as a single unit will successively bring the plural bowling pins into contact with the brush to loosen and remove their finish and subsequently with the squeegee or wiper member 49, which in turn will resiliently wipe loose paint, lacquer and remaining solvent from the surface of the pin.

As each bowling pin has been treated for removal of its paint and lacquer, it may be quickly and readily removed for hand sanding and repainting and a new pin is mounted in its place for a subsequent operation of the removal apparatus.

It should be noted that the use of a sealed housing such as that which constitutes carriage element 20 substantially prevents likelihood of any fire or explosion resulting from sparks and the like developing in the chain drive mechanism and contacting the fumes and liquid of the paint solvent.

Further, the use of a shielded motor for the drive mechanism additionally reduces the hazards of fire resulting from combustion of the fumes and the like of the paint solvent used.

It is important to note that the support pins 27 and the shaft 16 are tightly sealed at those points where they extend into or out of the sealed housing for the purpose of insuring a tight seal and a maximum of safety preventing combustion of the paint solvent fumes.

Additionally, it is an obvious expedient to provide the tank with a drain means as at 51 to permit the emptying of the solvent bath materials when their effectiveness has been substantially reduced by continued use and when it is desired to empty the tank for any other purpose.

It is to be understood that the embodiments shown are only preferred illustrations of numerous possible modifications all of which are considered to be within the scope and spirit of the instant invention.

Numerous modifications could be made in the drive arrangement within the enclosed housing forming the carriage element 20, and equally, it would be possible to substitute pulley and belt drive arrangements for the chain and sprocket arrangements shown.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construc tion illustrated and described herein are by Way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the removal of paint from bowling pins including, a paint solvent bath tank, spaced carriage elements mounted above said tank to revolve in and out of said bath, one of said elements consisting of an enclosed sealed housing, means for rotatably supporting bowling pins between said elements in spaced apart relationship whereby they will move successively into and out of said bath tank with revolution of said carriage elements, abrading means in said tank positioned to contact the surfaces of bowling pins moving therethrough, drive means within the enclosed carriage elements arranged to rotate the pin support means thereon, and power means for driving said enclosed drive means.

2. Apparatus for removal of paint from bowling pins including, a paint solvent bath tank, a shaft rotatably mounted horizontally above the bath level, power means for rotating the shaft, 2. pair of spaced carriage elements mounted in spaced relationship on said shaft for movement into and out of the bath, one of said elements including a sealed housing, means for rotatably supporting bowling pins between said elements and including support pins extending through the sealed housing in a fluidtight manner, drive means Within the sealed housing operatively connected between the shaft and the support pins, abrading means in said tank positioned to contact the surfaces of bowling pins moving therethrough, and wiper means externally of the bath positioned to engage the pin surface as it emerges from the bath.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 661,805 Von Langen Nov. 13, 1900 854,172 Nash i May 21, 1907 1,531,546 Eberly Mar. 31, 1925 1,736,846 Cole Nov. 26, 1929 2,265,115 Jackson et al Dec. 2, 1941 

